Stabilization of Scorodite by Aluminum Silicate Microencapsulation
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 145, Issue 4
Abstract
Crystalline scorodite () is a common arsenic-(As-)containing solid waste produced from nonferrous metallurgical processes. Its stability is the key factor to determine environmental risks. Scorodite is stable in the mildly acidic environment, while in a neutral to weakly alkaline environment, it can easily decompose and release As into solutions. In this work, scorodite was microencapsulated with an aluminum silicate gel for improving its stability. The effect of Si/As molar ratios on the stability of microencapsulated scorodite was investigated. A short-term stability environmental testing of 10 days indicated that a coating formed at a Si/As molar ratio of 0.2 inhibited As release at pH 4 and 6. A coating formed at a Si/As molar ratio of 1.5 was proportionately more successful at preventing As release at pH 6 and 8. The morphology and elemental composition were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), respectively. Raman spectroscopy and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) were employed for characterization of encapsulated scorodite (E-scor). The results showed that aluminum silicate was uniformly coated on the surface of scorodite and the coating still adhered to the surface of scorodite after short-term stability testing performed at pH 4, 6, and 8. These findings have significant implications for the stabilization of the arsenic-containing solid waste in the hydrometallurgical industry and reducing its environmental risks.
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Acknowledgments
This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41530643), the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. XDB14020203) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41473111, 41303088, and 41373127).
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 145 • Issue 4 • April 2019
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©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: May 8, 2018
Accepted: Sep 26, 2018
Published online: Feb 13, 2019
Published in print: Apr 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Jul 13, 2019
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